Pentagon representative, brigade General Pat Ryder criticized Russia’s intentions to conduct “in order to increase the readiness of non -strategic nuclear forces to perform combat missions.”
“This is an example of irresponsible rhetoric, which we saw in Russia in the past. This is completely inappropriate, given the current security situation,” Ryder said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that “on behalf of the Supreme Commander -in -Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in order to increase the readiness of non -strategic nuclear forces for combat missions, the General Staff began preparations for conducting the exercises with missile formations of the Southern Military District with the attraction aviation, as well as the forces of the Navy “.
“The doctrine is aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and technology of units of the combat use of non -strategic nuclear weapons to respond and for the unconditional support of territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and the threats of individual Western officials to the Russian Federation,” – reported in the department.